Sask. woman develops app to help people lend and borrow personal items
A Prince Albert woman has developed an app that allows people to lend and borrow items from each other.
The "Lend It" app aims to connect individuals interested in sharing belongings.
The app enables users in Canada and the U.S. to rent out their possessions, ranging from fishing equipment to strollers, to others within their geographic area.
Founder and CEO Alex Jordan was struck with the idea to start 'Lend It' when she thought about renting out her ice fishing shack.
"Some people would just want to rent it for the weekend," said Jordan. "So that is kind of where the idea sparked from."
Jordan said she also took inspiration from apps like Airbnb, where people rent out their homes.
"People were lending out their homes. I thought, why couldn't we take that one step further and do it with household items and then just expand from there?" she said.
Alex Jordan first came up with the concept in January 2024 and it was launched five months later in June. (Jasmine Pelletier/CTV News)
She first came up with the concept in January 2024 and it was launched five months later in June.
Jordan, who prior to designing 'Lend It' had no experience in the tech industry, partnered with the U.S.-based App Bros coding team to develop the app.
She now manages 'Lend It' seven days a week out of her home in Prince Albert.
"There's so many pressures out there of consumerism, influencers, everything," said Jordan. "Everywhere you go, you're pushed to buy something, and I wanted to change the narrative behind that."
The app also allows users to post things like venues and offers of manual labour.
Jordan said customer feedback has been positive.
"The feedback is like 'I have a renovation that I really don't wanna go out and buy one tool for, this is amazing'... So I feel like with times coming people will get really comfortable with using it and it will just be a hub where you're totally just lending, renting, instead of having that pressure to buy."
Users' personal information is held by Stripe, a third party outside the app, for security purposes.
An update that will increase security is scheduled to drop in 2025 and will ask users to submit photo IDs.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Your body, my choice': Attacks on women surge on social media following U.S. election
Sexist and abusive attacks on women, like 'your body, my choice' and 'get back to the kitchen,' have surged across social media since Trump’s reelection.
Northern Ontario teen recovering in hospital after being attacked; ex-boyfriend charged with attempted murder
Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.
Montreal man facing first-degree murder in woman's death; accused was on bail after allegedly threatening her
A 36-year-old Montreal man who was out on bail after allegedly uttering death threats against his partner is now accused of murdering her on the South Shore.
Former finance minister Bill Morneau questions if it's the 'right time' for emissions cap following Trump re-election
Following the re-election of former U.S. president Donald Trump, former finance minister Bill Morneau says the Canadian government should re-evaluate the timing of some cornerstone Liberal policies.
B.C. woman sentenced for stealing $14K in funds raised for schoolkids
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
23andMe cuts 40 per cent of its workforce, discontinues all therapy programs
Genetic testing firm 23andMe said on Monday it is reducing about 40 per cent, or 200 employees, from its workforce and discontinuing all its therapies.
Megan Fox is expecting a baby with Machine Gun Kelly
Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly are expecting to grow their family. Fox announced her pregnancy in a social media post Monday.
Kitchener, Ont. teen facing 29 charges after serious threats made against schools, businesses and people
A 15-year-old boy from Kitchener, Ont. is facing a long list of criminal charges as the Waterloo Regional Police Service wraps up a lengthy swatting investigation.
Man who allegedly staged bear attack arrested for murder in stolen identity scheme
A man accused of killing a person and staging it as a fatal bear attack in Tennessee was taken into custody in South Carolina over the weekend on murder charges, in what authorities described as a plot to steal the victim’s identity.